More than 26,000 citizens from European Union (EU) countries have applied for settled status in Brighton and Hove.
The number is significantly higher than the 19,000 EU citizens believed to be living locally at the start of an awareness-raising campaign by Brighton and Hove City Council.
And of 26,550 applicants by the end of last year, 12,690 have already been granted settled status while a further 11,550 have been granted pre-settled status.
Some 1,740 applications were still being processed and 570 were either withdrawn, refused, void or invalid.
Of those to have applied for settled status since Brexit – Britain’s exit from the EU – almost 40 per cent came from just three of the 27 member states – Italy, Spain and Poland.
A total of 4,420 applicants came from people from Italy, with 3,390 from Spanish people and a further 2,660 from people from Poland.
And more than 1,000 people of six other nationalities who now live in Brighton and Hove have applied for settled status in Britain – Romanian (1,960), French (1,830), Greek (1,320), Hungarian (1,310), German (1,270) and Portuguese (1,210) – or just over a third of the 26,550.
The council said: “The deadline for applications is Wednesday 30 June 2021 but you must have been resident in the UK before Thursday 31 December 2020 to be eligible for the scheme.
“It is taking longer than usual to process applications because of coronavirus (covid-19).
“The scheme is free.”
In the past week the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce was due to hold a virtual question and answer (Q&A) session about Britain’s new Immigration System for local businesses.
Topics included
- Skilled worker visas and sponsorship: When can you employ people from overseas, becoming a sponsor and alternative visa categories
- Right to work checks and reducing the risk of illegal working
- Your HR policies for foreign workers: things to think about, things to do and ways to help them
- Immigration in Europe
- When can UK nationals visit Europe, when do they need a work permit?
- What is involved, how long will it take and how can you make the most of EU law
